


Reading Between the Lines

by jczala



Series: Deeply and Irrevocably [3]
Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Café, Coffee Shop, Light Novel, M/M, bookkeeper mayuzumi, booknerd furi, bookstore, mayuzumi knows what's up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-20
Updated: 2018-02-20
Packaged: 2019-03-21 14:28:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,912
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13742895
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jczala/pseuds/jczala
Summary: There was something there. It struck him for some reason. Something intangible. It was in the way Akashi looked at Furihata that made it obvious to Mayuzumi that he liked being with Furihata.





	Reading Between the Lines

**Author's Note:**

> I was supposed to put this up on Valentines, but I couldn't make it. Then again, it's not even a Valentines story... Anyway, I'm back with the 3rd installment of this series. I've always wanted to incorporate Mayuzumi's character into an AkaFuri fic, and I swear I've edited this so many times just to get Mayuzumi's personality right. He's quite challenging to write about and I love his sass. I hope that I was able to portray him well here.

He noticed him the moment he entered the bookstore.  

“Shit, shit, shit,” this mousey brunette muttered under his breath, in tandem with each stride he took toward the New Volume Releases Section. “Please…Please…be there…” He walked hesitantly, his eyes seeking out for what was probably his favourite light novel, only to let out a disappointed sigh. There was nothing there but an empty podium.  

That light novel was very popular, so securing a fresh new copy would be somewhat of a hassle. All that physical—and rather mental—effort he’d been through was all for naught. And the brunette was probably contemplating now about going to another bookstore.  

The guy didn’t even realize he’d been staring blankly at the vacant podium until...  

“Sold out like hotcakes.”  

The brunette jumped in surprise and nearly dropped his bag. “W-W-Whaa—Who?!” He whipped his head so fast he feared it might twist off. “M-Mayuzumi-san?!”  

“You’re Seirin's No. 12, right?”  

Furihata’s jaw almost dropped open, and he asked, “You remember me?”  

“I doubt I’ll ever forget the guy who scored against me,” Mayuzumi replied nonchalantly.  

“I-I didn’t think I’d able to make an impression on anyone,” Furihata said, a finger scratching his cheek bone timidly.  

“I underestimated you when I shouldn’t have. It doesn’t have to be much—just an opening. That was all you needed, because you only need a split second to get a shot off. That one point you did made a difference.”  

Furihata looked up at him, truly surprised. "R-Really?"  

"You should give yourself more credit."  

Mayuzumi noticed Furihata staring at him and shrugged. “Are you just gonna stand there and gape at me like a lost puppy?”  

Furihata gave a little squeak of surprise, blushing slightly as he looked away from Mayuzumi’s cool gaze. “I-I-I’m sorry, Mayuzumi-san. I didn’t mean to…”  

“So, you’re into light novels?”  

“Eh? Um… Well, yes…” Furihata looked really awkward to him. “But not all of them… I, um, just read what interests me. I also like reading fantasy stories like Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings Trilogy. Some of  _Murakami Haruki_ -sensei's works are my favorites too.”  

“I’ve read those too,” Mayuzumi replied, which surprised Furihata a bit.  

“Sei did say you like to read,” Furihata said, trying to hold a conversation, “just like Kuroko. Aside from the misdirection thing, you two are more alike than I thought.”  

Mayuzumi raised a brow at him, giving him a cold look—though it was just his usual look—and it obviously set off alarm bells in Furihata’s head, because he suddenly looked nervous. But the nickname somehow caught him off-guard.  _Sei_ _? As in_ _Seijuro_ _?_  

Now that he thought about it, this was the first time he had actually talked to Furihata. He had already graduated from Rakuzan and was currently studying at a university in Tokyo, but he’d been to a few games. Akashi, in his second year of captaincy, and the Uncrowned Kings had completely dominated Interhigh once again, decimating Touou and Aomine Daiki, the ace of the Generation of Miracles in the final round. Seirin, on the other hand, only managed to reach the quarterfinals, where they lost to Shuutoku, but they put up one hell of a fight.  

Seirin had been there in audience during the Rakuzan vs. Touou match, and Mayuzumi remembered seeing Furihata cheer for Akashi. He hadn't mind it at all, though it was amusing to think that the guy, who fell on his face in front of Akashi, had been cheering for the emperor of all people. After the game, he had chanced upon Furihata and Akashi talking in the hallway. They seemed to be very close.  

There was something there. It struck him for some reason. Something intangible. It was in the way Akashi looked at Furihata that made it obvious to Mayuzumi that he liked being with Furihata.  

“I guess so,” Mayuzumi said after a moment of terse silence.  

“So, um, do you work here?”  

“Judging from the name plaque pinned to my apron, embroidered with the shop name, what do you think?” That came out more sarcastically than he thought. Oh, well…  

“S-Sorry…” Furihata let out a nervous chuckle.  

“I just started last week.”  

“Um…So, are you gonna restock soon?”  

“Not anytime soon I can assure you.”  

Furihata’s shoulders sagged. “It’s really too bad I couldn’t get hold of a copy… This issue is just too good to pass up, so it’s not surprising it got sold out.” 

“The series is getting an anime adaptation, so it gets more hype.”  

Furihata perked up. "I know right? It's going to be great!" It seemed like he wanted to talk about the anime adaptation. Or maybe he was thinking how weird it was for Mayuzumi to know about that. But he held his tongue on that.  “Um, it was nice to meet you, Mayuzumi-san. I guess I’ll be seeing you around?”  

 “Yeah, see ya,” was his nonchalant reply.  

 

00000 

 

The part-time job at the bookstore was very ideal and practical for him. First of all, it was just two stations away from his apartment, the pay was quite good, and work was pretty chill most of the time, except when there were new releases and book signing. He could also read the books there during his free time and the manager was really a nice guy. He had no complaints whatsoever, so he felt lucky to have landed this job.  

As he bid goodbye to the manager and stepped outside the store, the phone went off in his pocket. Peering at the caller ID on his IPHONE, he frowned, then rejected the call.  

The phone rang again. Mayuzumi narrowed his eyes at the caller ID, letting thoughts of a certain redhead resurface in his mind. He was getting a bad feeling about this. This guy doesn't just call anyone without reason. He could just ignore him, but he knew just how persistent this caller can be. 

Letting out a long-suffering sigh, he grumbled, "I'm probably going to regret this." He pressed the green icon on the screen and raised the phone to his ear. "What the hell do you want?"  

" _Hello to you too,_ _Mayuzumi_ _-san_ ," came a very regal male voice. " _I_ _t's been a while, hasn't it? How are you doing? I heard you're currently employed at a local bookstore. Seems quite fitting for you."_  

Mayuzumi rolled his eyes. "Akashi, any chance we can skip the chitchat and get to the point?" The night was still young, but Mayuzumi had homework to do and morning practice tomorrow. Just the prospect of having to go through another drilling session by the coach made him want to do nothing more but relax at home tonight. "Or should I consider hanging up right away?"  

" _As always you go right to the point."_ Akashi sounded amused. " _Very well_ _, let_ _us_ _skip the formalities._ _I called because I would_ _like to ask a favor of you_."  

Mayuzumi scoffed. "And what makes you think I'll do you any favors?"  

" _This isn't for my own benefit,_ _Mayuzumi_ _-san_ _._ " Akashi sounded sincere, almost pleading perhaps. Or maybe Mayuzumi was just imagining it. " _And I'd really appreciate it if you would hear me out._ "  

Mayuzumi stared suspiciously at the caller id again before he placed the phone back against his ear. "Is this really Akashi I'm talking to?"  

" _Senpai, please... This is for Kouki._ "  

Mayuzumi blinked in surprise. "Furihata?" Okay, color him curious. This was rather interesting. "Fine... But you have to make it worth my while."  

" _Whatever you need, anything—if it's in my power—I'll do it._ "  

This Furihata must be really special to Akashi if he was willing to ask for help from others. Mayuzumi felt his lips curving into a smirk. "A week's worth of bottled  _Kusaya_ from Nijima and all the released volumes of  _Konosuba_... Get those and we're gold."  

There was a pause. 

" _All right, I_ _accept_ _those_ _terms._ "  

 _Wow... He's serious._ And it was kind of funny. At the very least, Mayuzumi thought Akashi would work his way around the terms and get him to accept. Akashi was known to have very good convincing powers, so for him to just readily agree with everything he asked? Was it going to rain cats and dogs tonight?  

Mayuzumi was even more tempted.  

"Oh, a free Wagyu beef dinner would be nice."  

" _Mayuzumi_ _-san..._ "  

There was a demanding undertone, but Mayuzumi wasn't sorry at all. This was Akashi Seijuro after all—the invincible Rakuzan captain, the ex-leader of the Generation of Miracles, and the absolute emperor of the courts. And there was no way in hell he wasn't going to exploit this.  

 

00000 

 

He was basically holding the book in his hands, the very thing he'd sought 3 days ago but couldn't buy since it was sold out. Now he couldn't pry his eyes off the pristine, embossed covers. He had walked in that fine afternoon—he'd rushed to the store right after practice—hoping for a restock, but to his dismay, there were none. He was about to leave when Mayuzumi decided to grace him with his presence by popping out of nowhere—which almost gave Furihata a heart attack—and handed him a copy of the novel.  

Mayuzumi shrugged. "If you're just going to stand there and stare, might as well give it back."  

Furihata looked up at him. "B-But I thought they were sold out," he said, still shocked by the surreal fact that there in his hands was the newly released copy of his favorite light novel series. "And I was planning to check another bookstore in case, but—" 

"The stores tends to keep copies for display and stuff," Mayuzumi replied, crossing his arms, crinkling the fabric of this apron. "The manager gave me two copies for free. You can have the other one."  

Furihata jumped at his words, and a glint of panic crossed his face. "W-Wait... You're giving this to me...? For free?!"  

Accustomed to eliminating any unwelcomed emotions and reactions as being surplus to his finely tuned emotions, Mayuzumi silently mused over the fact that there was something almost hilarious about the way Furihata reacted. If he were anything like Hayama, he'd probably be laughing at the brunette right now. "Yeah, unless you don't want it?"  

"I do!" Furihata came out strongly. He realized this immediately and looked away, blushing. "Um... Is it really okay for me to have this?"  

It was obvious that Furihata felt uncomfortable about this. Mayuzumi couldn't really blame the guy. The book he'd been waiting for so long was basically handed to him on a silver platter, and this would be one of those times where people would think that free things in life usually come with a catch. If Mayuzumi was in Furihata's place, he'd definitely think that. But that book wasn't actually free and a certain redhead did pay for it, so...  

"It's break time, so why don't you take me out for coffee?" Mayuzumi caught Furihata gawking and watched him quickly shut his mouth in embarrassment.  _This guy's pretty funny..._ Without waiting for a response, he turned on his heel. "Well, I don't have all day. Come on..."  

Furihata rocked back, the look on his face almost comically bewildered. "Y-Yes, right behind you, Mayuzumi-san!"  

 

00000 

 

The rational part of him, underneath the masked face of indifference, would have not bothered doing Akashi's little favor, but the human mind was naturally curious. So, the curious part of him wanted to know why Mr. 'I am absolute' Emperor went to the trouble of asking him to get the book for Furihata. Akashi had even paid for it. He could have just bought a copy from a bookstore in Kyoto and have it delivered to Furihata.  

The café he chose was just two blocks away from the bookstore. It was quaint and homey, and quiet—perfect place for a nice chat or to read books. As they settled down at a table beside the white-paned window, Mayuzumi watched Furihata looking at the menu card. It felt rather surreal that this guy had managed to tame the lion.  

"I'll have café americano," Mayuzumi said to the waiter.   

Furihata hesitated. "Um...I'm not much of a coffee person, so, uh..."  

"I'd recommend the Hot Gourmet Cocoa," Mayuzumi replied. "It's a blend of dark chocolate with hot milk."  

"Oh? That sounds good." Furihata gave out a shy smile. "Okay, I'll have that, please," he told the waiter. As the waiter excused himself, Furihata faced Mayuzumi sheepishly. "Mayuzumi-san, thank you once again for the book."  

 _I'm not the one you should be thanking though..._  

At the very least, Akashi should have let Furihata know.  

Mayuzumi could tell him, but he wasn't really obligated to, so why bother. "I'm halfway through that book and I understand the hype over it."  

"R-Really?" Furihata said, curiosity shining in his brown eyes. Mayuzumi could tell—Furihata wanted to ask him a million question about the story, but all he said was... "Oh, wait, no spoilers, please..." He reclined back, chuckling awkwardly.   

"Well, all I can say is that you're in for a ride."  

"That makes me even more curious. I'll definitely read it when I get home." Furihata looked excited like a little boy who couldn't wait to play his new video game. "I'm quite surprised, though... I never pegged you for the type to read light novels." He then panicked over what he said. "Oh, but I don't mean it as a bad thing!" He lightly laughed. "It's just... Kuroko likes to read philosophical books, and you remind me a lot of him, so, uh, I thought you'd have the same—"  

"You're pretty close with Kuroko, huh?"  

Furihata blinked. "Um... Yeah... Kuroko and I are both in the library committee and basketball team," he said sincerely with a smile, "and he's a really good friend."  

 _Hmmm...Kuroko is still Kuroko... But Akashi is_ _Sei_ _?_  

"Library committee, huh?" Mayuzumi inquired, as they received their orders.  

"We love to read. If I could get a part-time job, I'd love to work at a library or a bookstore like you, Mayuzumi-san."  

Mayuzumi hummed into his drink and took a sip before speaking. "It's not exactly the most exciting job there is, but I appreciate the peace and quiet. I wish most people were fluent in silence." It almost felt like they were the closest of friends, just hanging out rather than two individuals who had only met recently.  It didn't feel strange or awkward at all.  

"I know what you mean." Furihata smiled more easily now. "Bookstores, libraries, and rooftops are places where I usually go and read. Speaking of which, Sei told me you used to spend a lot of time on the rooftop back in Rakuzan."  

Mayuzumi raised a brow, lifting his glass for a drink. "Seems like Akashi told you some things about me." 

Furihata's eyes were almost enthralling. "Sei talks a lot about you, Mayuzumi-san. Says you're a good senpai. He respects you very much."  

Mayuzumi almost choked on his drink and looked at Furihata skeptically. He sighed and grimaced. "If you count punching people in the face with words as grounds on being a 'good senpai', then sure...Why not?"  

A light laugh escaped from the brunette's lips. "You really set him straight during our game back then. A bit mean though, but he really needed it."  

"I'm not mean. I'm brutally honest. It's not my fault the truth hurts. Might as well have given him a band aid at that time."  

"Sei always said that you're so sarcastic with him," chuckled Furihata.  

Mayuzumi smirked. "If I'm extra sarcastic it probably means you really annoy me and I just don't wanna handle your shit."   

"Or it could mean that you actually like the person," Furihata added, and Mayuzumi immediately shot him a glare, making Furihata flinch. "S-Sorry...I didn't mean to offend you or anything."  

Mayuzumi kind of smiled to himself, "Yeah, sure he can be a royal pain in the ass, but Akashi's an OK guy. Just don't tell him that." 

"That's good to hear." Furihata looked so happy, almost giddy even, as he drank his hot Choco.  

To his surprise, Mayuzumi thought Furihata was cute, in a geeky kind of way. It was funny. Furihata was self-conscious at first, probably due to the fact that Mayuzumi was older and used to be his opponent. But now he was so much easier to talk to. Furihata seemed like a caring and considerate boy, and Mayuzumi felt like he could get along with him.  

However, Furihata had nothing in common with Akashi, except for Basketball and the same playing position. But...  

Since the moment he saw them in the hallway, he had felt that there was something between them.  

 

00000 

 

Sometimes, having a super rich, extremely talented kouhai with a genius mind could be rather complicated...and not for the obvious, aforementioned reasons. He'd never considered himself as a senpai of sorts—not even a model student—and preferred just blending in. But this guy walked into his life one day and propelled him to do impossible feats for the sake of Rakuzan's victory. He had almost thrown it away—giving up the sport he came to like a lot more than light novels—but this redhead brat gave him an opportunity and he grabbed it.  

He had no regrets. His last year in high school had been quite fun.  

But then again... 

His kouhai was still complicated, and Mayuzumi would rather not deal with him.  

Of course, life had other plans for him, especially on this cold, Saturday morning in October. A certain redhead—[dressed impeccably](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/488429522080381820/) in a slim-fit black military-style jacket over a red plaid shirt and denim pants—stood inside the bookstore, his deep red eyes scanning the shelves for any titles that might catch his attention.  

"You're in the wrong aisle," said Mayuzumi in a bored tone, "your typical boring books are way on the other side."  

"I appreciate the concern, but I am right where I need to be, Mayuzumi-san," Akashi Seijuro replied politely, turning his businesslike smile to Mayuzumi.  

Mayuzumi lifted a brow. "In the shoujo manga section?"  

"I was wondering if I may find interesting tips here."  

"In the shoujo manga section?" Mayuzumi fully knew that he just repeated himself, but what the heck, Akashi? This guy looked so out of place in the SHOUJO MANGA SECTION. 

The practiced smile on Akashi's face turned sincere. "Well, dating tips to be exact. I must admit that I am not well-equipped with knowledge on the matter of dating."  

"And you thought you could dig up ideas from shoujo mangas?"  

“Mibuchi said they prove to be more useful than any romantic novels. And he forbade me from ever touching  _Twilight_  for some reason."  

"Yes, of course, Mibuchi would say that," Mayuzumi said almost exasperatedly. "Better stay away from  _Fifty Shades_ too."  

"Fifty Shades?" Akashi asked, raising a brow. "Oh, before anything else, please allow me to express my gratitude for fulfilling my request. Kouki was quite pleased with the book."  

"And I'm pleased with the treats you sent over," Mayuzumi curtly replied, "still waiting on that Wagyu beef though..." He crossed his arms over his chest. "Humor me a bit here... Why keep it a secret from him?"  

"There's a perfectly good reason for it." Akashi let out a sigh. "I suppose the Macbook was a bit overboard as a present, but can you blame me? His laptop was beyond repair. Skype over the phone's simply not enough and a Macbook would prove useful for schoolwork." His polite tone almost sounded regretful. "I did get him to accept the gift, nevertheless, but he made it clear to me that he's not comfortable if I spend so much money on him, so..."  

"You could have just bought the book yourself."  

"I gave him the Macbook four days ago, and he forbade me not to purchase anything for him, unless it's a special occasion."  

Okay, this was almost too funny, and Mayuzumi wanted to laugh, but he held it in. "Ah, I get it." And yes, he completely got it. Akashi was more obvious than Furihata. "Guess frugality is one of his charms, huh? Good for a richass like you. Though the book really didn't cost that much... Well, if you don't count the things you got me."  

"It was all worth it."  

"Sei!"  

Akashi turned his head towards Furihata and he dedicated him a smile. Furihata was approaching them, with a cheery face and a manga in hand, [dressed](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/804807395879702494/) in a blue denim jacket with a gray v-neck sweater vest over a white-collared shirt and red pants with gray washout sneakers. Furihata looked quite fashionable. 

"Hey there, Sei! Have you been waiting long?" Furihata greeted the redhead, cheeks slightly flushed. 

"I arrived a little too early. I wanted to see how Mayuzumi-san was doing," Akashi replied.  

As Furihata turned to Mayuzumi, he smiled up at him. "Nice to see you again, Mayuzumi-san. I've just finished the book you gave me."  

Mayuzumi found his own lips curving. "How was it?"  

"The climax had me on the edge of my seat!" Furihata's eyes were practically shining with suppressed mirth. He started talking animatedly about his favorite moments in the latest volume. And all the while, Akashi's eyes never left him. There was nothing but fondness and affection in his eyes, Mayuzumi was sure of it.  

"It pleases me to see you get along with Kouki, Mayuzumi-san," Akashi said after some time, and Mayuzumi simply snorted in reply.  

Furihata giggled.  "Really, Sei? I'm kinda glad to hear that. And you were right, Mayuzumi-san's really nice."  

"I'm starting to doubt your actual definition of nice," Mayuzumi said with a sigh. "And don't you guys have a date to get to?"  

"E-Eh? W-Wha...H-How?!" As expected, Furihata blushed and blinked and fidgeted so badly that Mayuzumi felt genuine regret for saying that.  

Akashi, on the other hand, smiled proudly, as if he was showing off the brunette. "Well then, shall we go, Kouki?" he asked, carefully entwining his fingers with Furihata's. 

The pink on Furihata's cheeks turned a deeper shade. "W-Wait, let me just pay for this manga! I'll be done real quick!" He carefully slipped his hand away and rushed off to the counter.  

Akashi chuckled, watching the brunette fondly. "I see that we weren't as subtle as we thought."  

Mayuzumi crossed his arms and studied Akashi for a moment. "Have you seen the way you look at him? You look at him like he's the most precious thing in the world."  

"Kouki is one in a million and I am blessed to have him in my life."  

"Do you have any idea how cheesy that sounds?"  

"You seem fine with all of this."  

"As long as you're not hitting on me, I don't really care. Besides, I think he's good for you."  

"Yes, truly he is." Akashi turned to him, his smile friendly and eyes soft. "Should I have a need for your assistance, I know I can count on you in the future."  

Mayuzumi looked back blankly, annoyed with his straightforward politeness and candor. "I'm not going to give you tips on dating."  

Akashi chuckled. "Apart from that, of course. Oh, before I forget... Would next Saturday suit you? I'll set an appointment with the chef."  

A smirk for a smile, Mayuzumi said, "Yeah, Saturday's fine. Better make it well done."  

 

**Author's Note:**

> You'll probably see more of Mayuzumi in future stories, because he's just one of my favorite characters. I apologize for the lack of AkaFuri sweet moments. I wanted a story where Mayuzumi and Furihata get along, so here you go. What do you think? Please let me know in the comments below and drop some kudos. Thank you!!!


End file.
